The fate of the house where famed civil rights photographer Alex Rivera lived and worked will be decided sometime today, reports the Herald-Sun.
The house at 1712 Fayetville St. has caused a tiff between North Carolina Central University and members of the surrounding community. The school wants Rivera’s former home demolished to make room for its expansion projects, while some activists see it as a linchpin for the Fayeteville Street Historic District.
Rivera, a former NCCU publicist, sold the 96-year-old house to the school before his death earlier this year. The state of North Carolina declared it a house of “statewide historical significance” last April, despite his insistence that it does not.
Durham’s Historic Preservation Commission can decide to approve a request to demolish the house, or delay its razing for up to one year.
The Herald-Sun today reports on the sum and substance of Monday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, including the swearing-in of several recently elected county officials, Michael Page’s unanimous selection as Board Chair and the notable silence of one Joe Bowser–his rival for the position–during that vote.
As the president-elect’s transition team continues its vetting, the good folks over at the New York Timesare running thumbnail profiles of all of the prospective members of the new administration, this one a longtime Tar Heel.
The abbreviated story on Ms. Butts:
-She’s being considered for a position in the White House Counsel’s office.
-She’s a graduate of the University of North Carolina and Harvard Law School.
-Her first post-undergrad job was at a Durham YMCA.
-She at one time worked for Dick Gephardt.
-According to the NYT, she has an affinity for “hot” cars.
One of the four as of yet unnamed NCSU students who took to the campus Free Expression Tunnel to unload some post-election racist bile frustration issued a written apology this week.
“The statements written in the Tunnel were written with political intentions in mind,” he said in a released statement.
I’m having a bit of trouble buying his implication that what began as an attempt to express some benign apprehension about the election of Obama the candidate suddenly devolved, whereupon Obama the man was referred to as a nigger, and his getting Lincolned was glibly advocated for. But, let’s let the young man finish:
I am aware that racial differences were brought into play by my words, but I want to ensure the university that no physical harm was intended. My intentions were simply to express my views on the outcome of the election, but went too far.
I am very sorry for my actions and for the anger and fear brought to NC State. I am also ashamed of the bad light spread on this prestigious university. In addition to my apology, I want to assure the campus that there is no threat to anyone’s safety.
So, godspeed to you unnamed NCSU coed. Most of your takeaway seems to address the fallout of your actions rather than the actions themselves. You and the other three students involved are getting no pity from the student body. And the NAACP is still calling for your expulsion. But, hopefully, you will walk away from this a bit wiser, if not less of an asshole.
For all of you prospective and/or perpetual criminals who feel that you’ve been left out of the 287g fun, take heart. The News & Observer reports that now everyone who is booked into Wake County jail will have their immigration status checked as part of a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pilot program.
Wake County is one of seven jails around the nation chosen to test the new fingerprint-based database, including detention centers in Gaston, Henderson and Buncombe counties.
Naturally, the ACLU is pretty apprehensive about the expanded searches:
The fingerprint checks mean that more of a person’s personal information will be shared with law enforcement, said Rebecca Headen of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. “We’re once again seeing criminal enforcement allied with immigration enforcement,” Headen said.
The expansion of the program is dependent on the prerogative President-elect, say ICE officials. But the uncertainty over the future of the $350 million, hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of some. Said ICE’s assistant secretary, Julie Myers:
“The goal is to have a virtual ICE presence in every jail in the country.”
The Herald-Sun reports that Durham Mayor Bill Bell caused a stir at yesterday’s Triangle-wide transportation planning committee meeting when he suggested that if elected officials call on the state for permission to levy a sales tax on transit, they also forgo a public referendum a la the prepared meals tax.
Said Bell after the meeting:
“At some point, when issues are big enough and important enough, elected officials ought to be trusted to carry [them] out,” he said. “I’ve been involved in this thing a long time. If we don’t get the transportation issue solved, we’re going to have a slow death, in terms of growth. And it doesn’t just benefit the region. It benefits the state.”
At issue is the proposed $8 billion dollar bus and rail network that would support Wake, Durham and Orange counties. If officials are not granted the authority to push through the tax, supporters will have to seek the approval of voters in all three.
For you Durhamites still on the fence about the proposed county-wide prepared meals tax, Bull City Rising has video of two of the principle figures behind the groups supporting and opposing the tax laying out their arguments at Tuesday night’s Inter-Neighborhood Council Forum.
Our favorite part arrives 35 seconds in, when Dallas Woodhouse of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative, anti-tax lobbying group name checks Dr. Lavonia Allison of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, calling her his “new best friend.”
Click here to watch of Robert Teer Jr. making the “for” case.
A full picture of who is backing the political action committees supporting and opposing the prepared meals tax won’t be available until after the third quarter filing reports are released later today, but the News and Observer has a preliminary breakdown of how the two groups have generated their financial support thus far.
Durham Citizens Against the Food Tax has received $26,000 in in-kind gifts, the bulk of that sum coming from Americans for Prosperity, a national low-tax lobbying group.
On the other side, the Durham Prepared Meals Tax Committee has managed to raise $19, 150, its largest donations coming from Triangle based companies, Capital Broadcasting Corp and Teer Associates of Durham.
The Durham Housing Authority will conduct an internal review of the allegations made by recently canned head of the city’s Section 8 voucher program, Bryant Saunders, reports the Herald-Sun.
Saunders says that his Oct. 6th firing is the result of his attempts to fire one of his underlings, claiming that agency chief executive officer, Harrison Shannon, “is sensitive when it comes to her.”
Board Chairman Tom Niemann says that the review should conclude in two weeks.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners narrowed the list of potential sites for the new county waste transfer station to three Tuesday night, reports the News and Observer.
Notably absent from the list of remaining sites is the location in the Rogers-Eubanks community, the current home of the now 36-year-old county landfill.
The Board of commissioners is set to make their final decision on a site for the new facility Nov. 18.
Anthony on "Lawson, Roche to face off in 4th District Republican primary": I love how the media chooses who they think are the main candidates. These aren't the only two guys running. Sure, Lawson is the Ron Paul's endorsed pick and Roche is a Fox News freak, but how about reporting the whole picture... Everyone who's running.
Steven R. Storch on "Tuesday in Durham: Politics in the era of unlimited corporate spending": This is why my camapaign for district court judge is not accepting campaign donations, from anyone. Local judges have been raising thousands in campaign funds from attorneys and special interest groups, who then appear before that same judge after the election.
Steven Storch
Magistrate, Durham, NC
Kellie Hahn on "It’s a-live! The public option, that is. (Someone tell Kay Hagan.)": I called Kay Hagan's Washington office today to let her know that as her constituent, I wanted her to support a public option if it comes up through reconciliation. The phone rang and rang. Then it was busy. More endless ringing. I finally called the Raleigh office of Kay Hagan and was told that the
John Schelp on "Revisit sign ordinance? Let’s not go there, committee tells Medlin": Great coverage by the Indy. In the end, 273 citizens sent messages asking officials not to tinker with the sign ordinance. Two people wrote for electronic billboards. 273-2!
Today, the message was heard. The Planning director was told not to make changes to the sign ordinance. This means the Planning staff will evaluate the billboard industry's
James Ray on "Race for sheriff, at-large BOCC seat highlight Orange electoral slate": I am very excited to see some new names in orange county offices. . I like Lindy, but I think he should step aside and let Clarence Birkhead take the post. I am from the south part of the county and the Sheriff patrols are rarely seen down here. The problems are
Trianglopic on "Judge delays ruling on Carson tipster identity": Richard Allen, R. Allen, or simply Allen Baddour made up his mind as soon as he say the race of the defendants. His short history as a judge is evidenced by an attitude of racially based judicial bias. He is a disgrace to the judiciary and needs to be prevented from presiding over
Another Reader on "Broad Street Cafe gets its permit, gets to keep the rock": I forgot to add that, as smoking is no longer allowed indoors, bar patrons who choose to smoke will loiter outside of the establishment at all hours, not only smoking but talking loudly and disturbing nearby residents.
Another Reader on "Broad Street Cafe gets its permit, gets to keep the rock": I feel so sorry for Mr. Fenner. I was in a similar situation once, living near a tavern that was grandfathered into a residential area. Those who have not had that experience do not know how bad it is. Music carries a long way when you are trying to sleep at night, and there is
dan on "Perdue celebrates tobacco jobs, even as smoking ban wages on": no smoking in bars and restaurants. what's next, no smoking in your own home. in a bar of all places. the most abused drug on the planet. yeah, the one DRUG that has killed, hurt and destroyed more people than ALL the other drugs combined..." alcohol " and they are worried about second hand smoke
